DeSoto Magazine June 2019

the shipping method an additional two weeks to a month to receive the package.

But Cousins learned the hard way that it is critical to get a professional seamstress to do the measurements. Trying on the dress, she had a bit of a problem zipping it up, so she asked her husband, Mel, to help.

“He zipped it up all right, but I couldn’t breathe,” she said with a chuckle realizing she failed to measure her bust correctly. After gaining measurements from a seamstress, she went back to the website and found a new inventory of dresses. “I went for a totally different gown and liked the new one even better.”

For Caroline’s wedding, she decided to shop at well-known department stores, Macy’s and Dillard’s. She found a dress, but it was two sizes too big, after trying it on multiple times and getting input from the sales associate, she bought the dress and had the same seamstress work her magic. It fit perfectly for the January wedding.

Another great site is Rent The Runway. Instead of buying your dress, you rent it and return it within four days. A different twist to online shopping, you can narrow down the search with your body type, night or day event, cold or warm weather, and of course, neckline, sleeves, length and age range. If you can’t make up your mind, there’s the option to order two dresses at one time and try on both.

One of the worst things about shopping on a deadline is when you spend months looking, but just haven’t found THE dress. Maybe you’re holding back on price or size, but whatever the reason treat yourself to the one place you’ve always dreamed of going. Maybe it’s a store with a jeweled facade, a rack with designer dresses and fitting rooms like bridal salons.

Why not Saks Fifth Avenue in New Orleans on Canal Street? Yes, they are pricey, but they have huge sales, sometimes with 70-80 percent discounts in their finerdress department.

It was there I found my Cinderella ball-gown for my son’s wedding. That perfect find, when you look in the mirror and turn to your daughter, and instead of critiquing, there are tears. Next, big smiles watching multiple discounts ring up at the cash register, along with a complimentary glass of champagne to celebrate the experience. Now that’s primo shopping.

Sharron Fabiani Newton, the mother of the groom, James Newton, also 72 DeSoto